'amplification' posts

Understanding television dialogue can be challenging when one has hearing loss.

Some report that a program’s soundtrack in the background can obscure the dialogue. Others report difficulty understanding fast talkers and speakers with accents while watching TV. Still others state that they feel as if the newscaster is mumbling while delivering the evening broadcast. Some choose to increase the volume on the television to compensate. This can result in discomfort for those living in the same home.

Understanding speech on television can present some challenges because the two dimensional projection on the screen limits lip reading cues that are easily identified in person. Additionally, the actors’ mouths may not synchronize with the dialogue which can pose additional challenges.

Some people may continue to experience challenges listening to TV despite wearing hearing aids. This may be a result of the degree of hearing loss and the brain’s ability to process speech. Hearing aids and amplification help, but sometimes additional devices know as Assistive Listening Devices (also known as ALDs) can also be used to enhance understanding:

We’ve all had our issues with healthcare—from trying to read through your bill to understanding the instructions your doctor is telling you to navigating through automated phone trees finding someone who can answer your health questions. There are many frustrations that we as patients deal with. Now imagine you’re missing one of your five senses, such as hearing. All of a sudden, those challenges seem much bigger.

A recent study published in The Lancet medical journal suggests that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have worse healthcare and less access to health services. And it makes sense when you think about it.

1. Hearing loss is not often a “visible” handicap so healthcare providers may not know their patients have it. Patients may not even know they have hearing loss!
2. Even if patients do know they have hearing problems, most healthcare providers do not have training on how to effectively communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
3. Lastly, those frustrations we just talked about keep many of us from accessing healthcare the right way. People who cannot hear well may experience even more difficulties which could keep them from going to the doctor or asking the questions they need to have answered.

The effect on healthcare quality and access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing ...

When someone with a hearing loss comes into our Center, we talk with them about many different technology options to help them reconnect to their world. Most people are familiar with hearing aids. However, many have questions about a Cochlear Implant or a Bone Anchored Implant, often called a Baha, and wonder if these implants would be an option for them.

A Bone Anchored Implant is appropriate for someone where traditional hearing aids are not efficient because of draining ears or chronic infections, blockage or damage in the outer or middle ear or loss of all hearing in one ear such as following an acoustic tumor removal. Candidates have either a conductive hearing loss or a single sided deafness. The bone anchored implant uses ....

After a hearing test, it is common to have questions about the results.  One that is frequently asked is “My hearing loss isn’t bad enough for hearing aids, is it?” In fact one young man asked me that very question today that made me want to share my answer here. This is a great question!  Read on for my answer.

Hearing loss has been called an “invisible” health condition, as there are no outward physical signs associated with it. Hearing loss can occur gradually, often making it difficult to be aware of hearing loss if and when it occurs. Hearing loss negatively affects quality of life, the ability to communicate with others, and the awareness of one’s environment.

You could have hearing loss if:

Did you know that portable music players produce sound at up to 100 decibels? That’s approaching the level of a jet plane taking off, which measures 120 decibels. Any volumes higher than 85 decibels can cause hearing loss if listened to for prolonged periods of time.

May is Better Hearing Month, celebrated by the American Academy of Audiology. It’s a great time to assess the health of your hearing, and recognize its importance in daily life.

Small changes in day-to-day activities can go a long way in maintaining good hearing in the future: